Machine for assembling propellent explosive-containers and their projectiles.



W. PAGE. MACHINE FOR ASSEMBL-lNG PROPELLENT EXPLOSIVE CONTAINERS ANDTHEIR PROJECTILES. APPLICATION FILED MAY I4. 1915.

l 1,1 90,576. Patented July 11, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES W. PAGE. MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING PROPELLENT EXPLOSIVECONTAINERS AND THEIR PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, 1915.

l ,1 90,57 6. Patented July 11, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W 55 I a! I I X5 a itw/l l I 1,291 4 i 5%;51 3 4 4 LL 61 ---T r' If 57 Il I w. I I IjgI 65 J4 512M 1?? a; I? ,55 I1 31 l m T W i 13 ig 6. 35 1WWW WHLTER P1905 BY HTTO W. PAGE. MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING PROPELLENTEXPLOSIVE CONTAINERS AND THEIR PROJECTILES. APPLLCATlON FlLED MAY 14.1915.

1,1 90,576. Patented J1 1y11, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

//Y VE/Y 70/? WALTER" ym:

B) H T TQ/F/Yfy WALTER PAGE, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC,

CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO CANADIAN EXPLOSIVES LIMITED, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ACORPORATION.

MACHINE FOB ASSEMBLING PROPELLENT EXPLOSIVE-CONTAINEBS AND THEIRPROJECTILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed May 14, 1915. Serial No. 28,207.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER PAGE, a c1t1- zenof the United States of America, an resident of Montreal, Province ofQuebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Assembling Propellent Explo'siveContainers and theirProjectiles, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to machines whereby the shell portion of anexplosive charge for ordnance is securely positioned in the open end ofthe container or casing which has the propellent explosive therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for both forcing theshell into the container and crimping the latter about the former.

Another object is to provide a machine wherein the, shell is forced intothe container by fluid pressure.

A further object is to automatically center the shell with respect toand as it is being forced into the container.

A further object is to provide a device for crimping the container aboutthe shell in such manner that the pressure during such operation isuniformly exerted upon all sides.

A still further general construction and efficiency chines of theidentified type.

The above with other objects and advantages will be hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

For full comprehension of the invention reference should be had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine before the shell has beenforced into the container and taken on line 1--1 Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is aview similar to but taken at right angles to Fig. 1 on line 2-2 Fig. 3and showing the machine after the shell has been forced into thecontainer; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 Fig. 1; and Fig. 4is a view similar to Fig. 3 and taken on line 4-4 Fig. 2.

Referring now to these drawings, 2 indi cates a suitably supported baseplate and 3 object is to improve the of maand base plates a platformtable secured. The curved edges of a top plate which is connected .tothe base plate and supported by posts 4 the ends of the posts beingreduced and assed through the plates which latter are clamped by nuts 5against the shoulders formed by the reduced ends of the posts. Betweenthe top 6 is located and formed with openings 7 at opposite sidesthrough which the posts 4 pass. The openmgs are slightly larger than theposts to enable the platform to move as will be hereinafter explained,the posts serving as guides during such movement. A circular table 9 1slocated upon the platform and loosely mounted upon a center pin 10 aboutwhich the table is adapted to be rotated as will be presently described.

When the explosive charge is to be assembled it is placed upon table 9and I have provided a clamp for securing the charge in position whichconsists preferably of a member 14 fixed by screws 15 upon the table anda separate member 16 at the side of the fixed member and pivoted at oneend at a point adjacent one end of the latter by screw 17. The inneradjacent edges of the clamp members are inwardly curved at 19concentrically with the center pin 10, each member forming substantiallya semi-circle so that when they are together a circular opening ispresented for the reception of the base of the casing 20 of the chargeand the centering of the latter with relation to the the members areundercut to form upper flanges 21 which overhang the annular base flangeof the casing and prevent upward movement of the latter.

When placing the casing 20 in the clamp, the free end of pivoted member16 is swung outwardly away from the fixed member (see dotted positionFig. 3) and the casing set in place, the member 16 being then swung backabout the casing and clamped in such position by a dog 22 which ispivoted upon the table and engages an offset portion 23 of the member16.

Upon the underside of top plate 3 is floatably mounted a downturned cap24:, the opening of which is in vertical alinement with the center oftable 9 and is of circular form with an outwardly flared outer end 25.The top of the cap is flat and adapted to bear fiat against theunderside of the top plate,

the floatable mounting being secured by means of a bolt 26 passed fromthe interior of the cap, loosely upwardly through the top of the latterand through .plate 3 where it is secured by a nut 27: screwed upon itsupper end, the distance between the head of the bolt and the undersideof plate 3 being greater than the thickness of the top of the cap andthis distance may be varied in accordance with requirements by means ofthe nut. 27. The head of the bolt upholds the cap and if desired awasher 28 may be placed upon the bolt between the head and top of thecap. 7 r

As shownin Fig. 1 the explosive charge,

' consisting of the container and shell 29 set loosely therein, isclamped upon table 9 and the latter with platform 6 is then moved up,bringing the top of shell 29 into the cap 24 and upon the engagement ofthe latter with the underside of the top plate which acts as anabutment, forcing the shell into the container as shown in Fig. 2.

The flared or beveled outer end of the opening of cap 24 conforms to thetapered sides at the top of shell 29 and such opening is deep enough topermit the entry of the top of the shell and the tight engagement of thetapered sides thereof with the cap without bringing the impact end ofthe shell into engagement with the interior end of the cap so that whenthe shell is being forced home such impact end is protected frompressure, which latter is thus entirely sustained by the sides of theshell. If, when engaging with the cap, the shell should be out of properlongitudinal alinement with the container, such cap, owing to thefioatable mounting thereof and by its engagement flat against the topplate, straightens the projectile and thus automatically centers it withrespect to the container.

The platform may be moved upwardly by any desired device but I prefer toemploy hydraulic or other pressure, such as air, steam, etc., and forthis purpose provide a cylinder 30 which extends through plate 2 andisheld in position by a top flange 31 resting upon the plate. Thecylinder is located preferably concentrically with table 9, is open atthe top and has a ram 32 therein which is provided at the bottom with awasher 33 and secured to the underside of platform 6 by means of a screwstud 34 screwed upwardly into a tapped hole formed through suchplatform. For simplicity in construction I prefer to form an upwardextension upon the screw stud 34 and this extension serves as the abovementioned center pin 10.

A pipe 35 leads from the bottom of cylinder 30 and connects by means ofa threeway valve casing 36 with a supply pipe 37 and an exhaust pipe 38,the valve spindle being provided with a handle 39 for alternatelyconnecting the cylinder with the supply and exhaust.

By turning the valve to open supply pipe 37 to the cylinder the ram israised and through it the platform and to avoid sudden movement I set apartition 40 with a small aperture 41 therein in the supply pipe and inthis manner retard the supply and introduce the water to the cylinder ina gradual manner. If desired a needle valve 42 may be set in the supplypipe to retard and regulate the flow therethrough.

When the projectile has been forced home into the shell, that is whenthe rim of the container reaches the bead 43 on the shell the three-wayvalve is reversed and cylinder 30 opened to the exhaust pipe, thuspermit ting the platform to move down and lower the charge from the cap24. The lowering of the platform brings the rim of the containeropposite a device for bending, turning in or crimping or rolling in suchrim upon the shell and into the circumferential inwardly curved orbeveled groove 44 formed in the shell just below the bead 43. Thecrimping device is mounted upon a cross-piece 45 formed with openings atits ends through which the guides 4 pass, the cross-piece beingadjustably secured upon the guides by means of set-screws 46 so that thecrimping device may be brought to proper position with relation tocharges of different heights.

The cross-piece is centrally recessed at 46 to give ample clearance forthe charge and as mentioned above has mounted thereon the crimpingdevice which consists of a twopart horizontally disposed ring 47, 48,one part 47 being loosely connected to the crosspiece by means of a pin48 extending upwardly from the latter into a transverse slot- 48 in thepart 47 and by a pair of guide buttons 49 each of which is secured atone end to the cross-piece, extends upwardly therefrom and projects.loosely at its free end over the part 47 to prevent upward dis placementof the ring. At one side of the ring the adjacent ends of the parts arepivoted together at 49, the free end of part 48 being formed with anoffset portion 48 which is forked to receive a handle 50 pivoted to thefree end of part 47. The handle loosely carries a pair of sleeves 51 and52 respectively, between which a coiled spring 53, encircling thehandle, bears, the spring being inclosed by a casing 54 which extendsfrom one sleeve to the other. The outer sleeve 51 is formed with ashoulder against which the outer end of the casing bears and the innersleeve 52 normally projects from the inner end of the casing and thisprojecting end is rounded. The outer end of the handle is screw threadedto receive a nut 54 which engages the sleeve 51 and serves to adjust thetension of spring 53 which tends to force the inner sleeve 52 inwardlyalong the handle, this movement being limited by the engagement of thesleeve with a shoulder 55 upon the handle adjacent to but spaced fromring part 47 so that a space is always maintained between the innersleeve and the part 47 for the accommodation of the forked projection ofpart 48 and thus facilitating the swinging of the handle into engagementwith the latter. The shoulder 55 is presented by forming the handle witha fiat laterally extending portion near its pivoted end and the end ofthe forked portion 48 is rounded at 56 so that, inasmuch as the flatportion of the handle readily fits in the forked portion and the roundedend of sleeve 52 easily rides up the rounded end of the portion 48, theengagement of the handle with ring portion 48 is still furtherfacilitated.

The interior edges of ring parts 47 and 48 areformed with sets ofintersectinghorizontal and vertical slots 57 and 58 respectively and aroll 59 is rotatively mounted in each set of intersecting slots, eachroll being horizontally disposed and located in the horizontal slot withits trunnions 60 disposed in the vertical slot and held therein by clipbearing 61 fastened at one end to the top of the ring and formed at itsopposite end with a depression 62 for the reception of the end of thetop trunnion.

The rolls are so mounted that their periph cries project from theinterior edge of the ring and the periphery of each roll is axiallybeveled or tapered from the top to conform substantially with the groove44 of the shell. I prefer to employ three rolls and dispose same atequaldistances apart circumferentially of the ring.

When the charge is lowered by the platform, the hinged part 48 of thering (which has during the forcing of the shell into the container beenswung open as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 4) is closed about thecharge and gagement with the forked portion, the inner sleeve of thehandle riding over the rounded endof such forked portion and through theinfluence of spring 53 forcing 'the parts of the sleeve together and sobringing .the rollers into tight engagement with the rim of thecontainer. The charge is then rotated by means of the table 9 the edgeof which is formed with teeth 63 intermeshing with a spur gear 64mounted upon platform 6 by means of an operating handle 65 which iskeyed to the gear and passes loosely down through the platform andcarries a removable nut 66 upon its lower end.

The spring 53 provides a yielding mounting for the rolls 59 and as thecharge is rotated these rolls under the influence of the springgradually crimp the mm of the conthe handle 50 swung into entainer intothe groove 44, the pressure during this crimping action being uniformlyexerted upon all sides of the charge owing to the loose mounting of thecrimping ring upon the cross-piece.

Upon the completion of the crimping operation the ring is opened and thecharge withdrawn, the loose mounting of the crimping device enablingsame to be moved back so as to be out of the way of the next charge tobe acted upon and out of the vertical path of travel of same, thebuttons 49 limiting and guiding the device when it is moved back.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a support adapted to hold the container with the projectileset therein, an abutment, means for moving the support to carry theprojectile against the abutment and a centering cap floatably' mountedupon the abutment and adapted to receive the end of the projectile.

2. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirtapered projectiles, a support adapted to hold the container with theprojectile set therein, an abutment, means for moving the support tocarry the projectile against the abutment and a centering cap suspendedfrom the abutment and adapted to receive the tapered end of theprojectile, such cap having a flared opening therein conforming to thetaper of the projectile and of a depth to provide a space between theinterior end of the cap, and the top or impact end of the projectile.

3. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirtapere projectiles, a support adapted to hold the container with theprojectile set therein, an abutment, means for moving the support tocarry the projectile against the abutment, a centering cap upon one sideof the abutment and adapted to receive the tapered end of theprojectile, such cap having a flared opening therein conforming to thetaper of the projectile and of a depth to provide a space between theinterior end of the cap and the top or impact end of the projectile, aheaded bolt passed from the interior of the cap loosely through the endof the latter and through the abutment and a nut screwed upon the boltand bearing against the opposite side of the abutment, the space throughthe platform, a circular table upon the platform and rotatably mountedupon said extension and means for rotating the table.

5. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a platform, a circular table rotatably mounted upon theplatform and adapted to hold the container with the projectile settherein, teeth upon the edge of the table, a spur gear rotatably mountedupon the platform and meshing with the teeth of the table, a handle foroperating the gear and rotating the table, an abutment, means for movingthe platform to carry the projectile against the abutment and force suchprojectile into the container and a device for crimping the containerabout the projectile as the latter is rotated with the table.

6. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a support forholding the container with the projectile settherein, means for rotating the support, a loosely mounted ring adaptedto encircle the container and spring controlled rolls carried by andprojecting from the interior edge of the ring and adapted to en gagewith the container and crimp same about the projectile.

7 In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a support for holding the container with the projectile settherein, means for rotating the support, a ring adapted to encircle thecontainer, a support for the ring, a pin and slot connection between thering and its support and spring controlled rolls carried by andprojecting from the interior edge of the ring and adapted to engage withthe mintainer and crimp same about the projecti e.

8. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a support for holding the container with the projectile settherein and means for crimping the container about the projectileconsisting of a ring and spring controlled rolls carried by the ring,projecting from the interior edge thereof and adapted to engage with thecontainer.

9. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers and theirprojectiles, a support for holding the container with the projectile settherein and means for crimping the container about the projectile consisting of a two-part ring, the parts of with the projectile settherein, and means for crimping the container about the projectileconsisting of a ring, a portion of which is pivoted at one end to swingoutwardly, spring mechanism for yieldingly holding the free end of thepivoted portion to the main portion of the ring and rolls carried by thering, projecting inwardly from the interior edge of the ring and adaptedto engage With the container.

11. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers andtheir projectiles, a support for holding the container with theprojectile set therein and means for crimping the container about theprojectile consisting of a ring part, a handle pivoted to one end of thering part, sleeves upon the handle, a coiled spring bearing between thesleeves, a nut upon the handle and adapted to adjust the tension of thespring, a second ring part pivoted at one end to the first mentionedring part and having its 0pposite end forked to receive said handle,such ring parts being formed with sets of intersecting horizontal andvertical slots and rolls mounted in said sets of slots and projectingoutwardly from the interior edges of the ring parts. i

12. In a machine for assembling propellent explosive containers andtheir projectiles, a support for holding the container with theprojectile set therein and means for crimping the container about theprojectile consisting of a carrier, spring controlled rolls carried bythe carrier, projecting from the edge thereof and adapted to engage withthe container.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER PAGE.

Witnesses:

STANLEY 0. KING, JAMES C. FRASER.

